The Nairobi river basin in Kenya has experienced severe water pollution and environmental degradation due to waste from various sources. Untreated industrial, residential, and agricultural waste is discharged directly into the rivers, threatening biodiversity and spreading water-borne diseases. In 1999, the Nairobi River Basin Program was launched through a partnership between government agencies, private organizations, and non-profits to rehabilitate the river ecosystem through environmental education, public awareness campaigns, conservation efforts, and improved waste management. The program has helped increase environmental awareness but continues to face challenges in changing attitudes towards waste disposal and addressing the impacts of rapid urban expansion.

1. Nairobi river
basin
Location- Nairobi,
Kenya

2. Type of environmental
degradation
Water pollution
The main causes of degradation of the Nairobi
river are:
Solid waste
Liquid waste
Raw sewage
• Most industries find it cheaper to discharge
the effluents into the rivers without any
satisfactory treatment.

3. Causes of degradation
• Poor garbage disposal
• Poverty
• Human waste
• Mismanagement by the government
• Industrial wastes (gaseous emissions, liquid effluents,
agro-chemicals, metals the “Jua-kali” and overflowing
sewers).

4. Effects of degradation
• Spread of water-borne diseases.
• Loss of sustainable livelihoods.
• Loss of biodiversity
• Reduced availability and access to safe portable
water.
• Dangerous effects of toxic substances and heavy
metal poisoning.
• Dumping of waste papers along the river shores
of Nairobi river basin.

5. Rehabilitation
Launched in 1999, Nairobi River Basin Program
(NRBP) is a multi-initiative consisting of:
o The Government of Kenya
o UNEP
o UN-Habitat
o The private sector
o The civil society
o National Environmental Management Authority
(NEMA)
The aim is to rehabilitate restore and manage
the Nairobi river ecosystem in order to provide a
sustainable supply of water for domestic,
industrial, recreational and emergency use.

6. The main aim was to focus on four
key areas:
1.Environmental education.
2.Awareness creation and public
communication.
3.Conservation of the riparian reserve.
4.Integrated waste management and
the restoration of Nairobi Dam.

7. ACHIEVEMENTS
a) NRBP has generated sufficient
environmental awareness.
b) Private sector partners have expressed the
desire to work with NRBP to rehabilitate the
rivers.
c) Activities such as tree-planting, bee-keeping,
mushroom growing, solid waste
management, cleaner production in industry
and water quality monitoring are carried out
in aid of restoring the Nairobi river basin.
Through its endeavor the program has faced
some challenges.

8. CHALLENGES
• Changing Kenyans’ attitude towards waste
disposal.
• Expansion of the city’s infrastructure has
not matched the growth of its population.
• Nairobi City has been expanding without
proper environmental planning.

9. Done by.…..
• M James

10. Done by.…..
• M James